A LIFE AT SEA LEVEL
A LIFE AT SEA LEVEL
When we were sailing from the Marquesas to Tahiti, we had to make a choice about which Tuamotu atoll to stop at. We were heading to Ahe but the weather was getting rough so we decided to duck in at Manihi. It was a lesser-visited atoll but we were going to reach the pass at slack tide before sunset to make for a safe and easy entrance.
We navigated through the shallow pass and around the many black pearl farm buoys and mainlines crisscrossing the lagoon. We found a spot to anchor and settled in for the night. At 2:00 am we were awakened by a loud thunk and the boat shuddering. When we went on deck to see what it was we discovered our sailboat was being pushed up against the edge of the reef on one side. We pulled on our anchor rode and the line came up with nothing attached. The twelve additional feet of rope we put out beyond the chain had chafed through and we were now floating free.
The next day after hours of looking for help, we hopped in the water to check the damage. There was a large chunk of fiberglass out of the bow and down the side of the hull but nothing very deep. During this swim I made this image of my husband in the lagoon next to our boat. Four months later I would have the film developed and discover this gem. It is one of the images that changed the way I see the world and how my vision would need to come to life in my work going forward.